Volatile
by Riveristhecutestdogever
Summary: Faith gets broken out of prison to help Angel in LA and Buffy takes it upon herself to help out as well. What happens next is more then any of the two could bargain for.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**- Faith gets broken out of prison to help Angel in LA and Buffy takes it upon herself to help out as well. What happens next is more then any of the two could bargain for.

**Feedback -** Yes! It would make us very very happy.

**Pairing**- Faith/Buffy  
**Category**- Drama/Angst  
**Rated**- R

**Disclaimer- **We are not Joss. The only thing owned by us is the idea.

**Author's Note: **This chapter was written by me, Kitty or sanityfair on fanfiction net.

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(B's Pov)

I feel myself start to drift off again and I flutter open up my eyes and let out a small stifled yawn. The car window is cold and I groggily watch the rain drops as they slide into interconnecting pools of wet. God, I'm so tired. Despite how uncomfortable it is I could really just lay here and sleep for a week. But, I can't. I don't need sleep. Sleep...is the last thing on my mind. Angel is the first thing...or I guess Angelus now.

At that thought I sit up a little and move my head away, trying to smooth down my blonde hair as much as possible. The drive over had been anything but pleasant. I'm sore in all the wrong places, but I guess that's okay. God, why wasn't I told? I thought...Well, I don't know what I thought. That me and Angel were still an item? Still a couple? Does it even matter anymore? He's not Angel anymore. He's soulless monstrous Angelus. I bite my bottom lip some as memories of what that monster could and did do float around inside my head. I should have been the first one told. Maybe I wasn't told because...

Moment of happiness. I was supposed to be his one moment of true happiness. But I guess I really wasn't. Or I'm not anymore. I sigh just as the taxi cab comes to a screeching halt and I'm thrown forward a little. LA drivers. Enough said. The driver turns around and gives me a wide sickening smile as he openly checks me out. Jerk. The whole ride over he says not one word to me and now he thinks this is some kind of free ride peep show?

I scowl slightly and quickly fork over the money making sure not to touch the guy as I do. He licks his lips and mumbles his thanks and I remind myself I'm the one who wanted to come alone. I guess this is what I get. Perverted cabbies. I slide out of the cab and head into the large Hyperion Hotel. Eager to get down to business. Eager to free the monster inside of the man.

But as soon as I walk inside the door and look around the only thing I can manage to mutter is, "Huh?"

"Sorry, B'. The streamers and welcome mat were just a little cliche', so they sent me as the welcome wagon."

"What?" I ask again my mind racing as I realize whose standing in front of me.

"Yeah, you know." Faith says lazily as she stands out of her seat and takes a few steps towards me with a flash of a grin. " They figured I knew you the best, might as well get you settled in. 'Sides their busy with the whole 'Angelus' thing, so..."

Okay, mind lag over. "You don't belong here," I say quickly with a cold sneer pressed to my lips. Probably not my normal greeting, but with everything's she done. Everyone she's hurt. It's deserved. And the too obvious fact that she was told about the little 'problem' before me.

"You're supposed to be in prison," I glare, taking a few steps forward. Tired or not I would be more then happy to put Faith back in her place.

"Yeah, but apparently I was needed somewhere else." She turns away briefly to light up a cigarette. " Wes and the gang busted me out. "

"Busted you out?" I ask, turning the words over on my lips like poison. I stare at Faith, taking in each and every disgusting detail before I say, "You're going back," at length and head towards the phone sitting on the counter.

Faith watches me as I move, an impassive expression about her features as I dial. "Wes' is gonna' be angry," She finally sing songs.

I hold the phone in midair and turn around. A gleam behind my eyes as I look at Faith. "Wesley the retired watcher is going to question MY authority. Let's not forget Faith..." I say turning my attention back to the phone, "I'm the only one who matters anymore..."

Finally Faith heads towards the counter, she reaches an arm out and quickly hangs the phone up. "Look, I didn't ASK to be taken out, alright? I was fine with a roof over my head and three meals a day. I'm jus' doin' what they need here, and then I'll even walk myself back in, okay? Besides, we'll be done in like... what? Two, three days tops?"

"And then what?" I ask raising an eyebrow, still skeptical, "You'll go back?"

"Yeah. Totally. " She says removing her hand away from the phone and taking a step back. "B, c'mon, I coulda' gotten myself outta' there any day. I'll go back. S'not like I got anywhere else I need to be."

I hold my glare and lean forward a little, raising myself up slightly so I can stare into Faith's dark eyes. Not that it would matter. I can already tell when she's lying. "Fine, but you do as I say, and when I say it..." I lean back a little and add, "Understood?"

Frowning slightly at my instruction, she shakes her head at the last comment. "Hey, hey, wait a sec'. What makes you Queen Bee? You think you can waltz in here an' take over someone else's

business?"

"This is my business Faith! Angel...Angelus..." I quickly catch myself and then continue, "I've dealt with him before. You haven't. You fall into line or you go back to jail.."

Rolling her eyes but never the less agreeing, Faith takes a few steps back, muttering beneath her breath, "Whatever." She glares briefly at me before returning to her seat in the lobby chair.

"Good," Buffy I say nodding once, "Here's the plan..." I look around before walking towards the weapons cabinet. I began rifling through it to find anything that might help. Finally I withdrew one solitary gun. I cocked it once and then take aim at Faith, grinning a little as I do.

Hearing the cock, she slowly turns around in her seat, then quickly stands again, "What the hell do we need a gun for?" Faith keeps her eyes on the weapon, though says nothing of where it was pointed at.

I grin a little wider knowing full well Faith was nervous under that badass exterior. I can see it in her eyes. But, she knows I'm not like her. I lower it and mutter, "Sedative." I nod my head towards the cabinet. "Get the other one..."

Glaring at me she heads towards the cabinet and digs out her own gun. She sets the gun on the floor and then began to search idly for anything else she thinks is interesting. We really don't have time for this.

"That's all we need," I snap as I head towards the door. We just need to bring him back here so we can get his soul back..." She I turn around towards Faith looking her directly in the eyes and say, "Lets go"


	2. Chapter 2

Author: Jamiesgotagun15

Hi, everybody. I'm Jamiesgotagun15 and this is my chapter. Hope you like.

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Buffy took a sharp intake of chilly night air as she stepped outside the Hyperion. She looked back only once at Faith's form, never meeting her eyes, and muttered a 'This way' before walking off in the direction her intuition told her to go in.

Faith took a few quickened paces to catch up with Buffy. She walked side by side with her, fingering the gun slightly before putting it away again.

"So, B, where we goin'?"

"Where I take us," She replied with the smallest turn of her head as she quickened her pace to get the lead in on Faith.

With another quick roll of her eyes, Faith was another few paces behind Buffy. She let her have her way and lead because there was only, hopefully, a few more days she would have to spend with her.

Buffy kept her pace; stopping every so often to turn a make sure Faith wasn't dodging. Finally she saw a demon bar and nodded towards it.

Faith glanced silently up to the sign above and their new surroundings. She shrugged,

"Your call...Boss."

"Funny Faith," Buffy said dryly, "Only I'm not your boss otherwise you would have been fired...or something..." Buffy frowned at her lack of punning skills and just growled, "Let's go..."

Smirking to herself, Faith shrugged and began to follow Buffy inside. This place must have been like the Willy's of L.A.

Buffy walked inside and the first thing that happened was she was slammed into the wall by a very angry very large demon. "Why is the slayer here?" he screamed in rage  
Backing up instantly, Faith quickly fumbled for the sedative gun and brought it out, pointing it at the demon, ready to shoot.

"Hey, man, watch it."

"Or what!" He growled gripping Buffy's neck tighter, "You'll shoot me little girl?" Buffy glared at Faith rather then the demon and then brought her knee up hard into his jaw.

He dropped her in pain and Buffy picked up her wayward gun and then pummelled the demon to death before rounding on Faith.

"I don't remember asking for your help!" she said through gritted teeth.

"What the hell'd you want me to do, B? Let him choke ya' to death?" She put the gun back into her pocket and glared.

"Believe me, f'we were here under some different consequences, I woulda' definitely stepped back and let you 'handle' it all."

Buffy brought herself up to glare at Faith just a few inches away from the rogues eyes, too close to comfort even. "You wanted to play the hero," she half whispered half snarled, "Another one up on me just like you've always tried to do..."

"Whatever, B." She muttered, glancing away, not wanting to get into any of their past just then. "I didn't get outta' jail just to come and argue with ya'. Let's get whatever we gotta' do over with."

She had no response to that so instead she settled for a long glare and then turned to work on making some of the patrons 'talk'.

She didn't get that far before Angelus let out a loud whoop and a "Look who it is...never thought I'd see you to banding to together...hmmm ...interesting..."  
"Yeah, lucky for me it ain't for long. "Faith muttered beneath her breath. If Buffy wanted to play her part and do everything, she'd let her. She made no move to shoot Angelus.

Buffy raised her gun upwards, but was having trouble pulling the trigger. What she saw was Angel though she knew it was the monster inside.

"Buffy..." Angelus said in mock 'brood' voice "Are you really going to kill me?" "No...just put you to sleep," she said taking aim, before firing and missing.

Faith still stood, watching calmly, figuring Buffy wouldn't be able to shoot him. She glanced over and asked "Need some help?"

"Fuck you Faith," was the retort as she fired again. This time the dart from the gun got him the neck and he stared in shock before falling to the ground with a heavy thumb.

Grinning, muttering another few words beneath her breath, Faith bent down towards Angelus and helped Buffy drag him away.

Buffy said nothing further as she grabbed hold of Angelus' feet, finding his upper body too hard to look at.

"Where we takin' him?" Faith asked, grabbing hold of his arms and dragging him out.

"Back to the Hotel?"

"No shit," Buffy said rolling her eyes as she pulled Angelus' feet along looking over her shoulder as she went

Still with no retort, Faith silently agreed and lugged the sleepy vampire back to the Hyperion. She kept her jets cooled, telling herself over and over that their past was not something to discuss right then.

Buffy went without a word, not really caring if words were spoken or not. Once there she called to the others and soon found herself staring into Angelus' sleeping form inside the cage.

"So... what now?" Faith asked, a bit broadly even. She sat against the wall across from the cage, silently smoking a cigarette.

Buffy shrugged, "You go to jail, Angel gets his soul back...I live happily ever after..."

"Yeah, I get that. But I mean, with Fang over here? How the hell're you gonna' get his soul back in him? I mean... who's got the power to do that?" Faith asked, standing up slowly.

Buffy stay where she stood, okay didn't exactly figure that one out yet. "I...don't worry about it."

Shrugging with a smirk, knowing Buffy had no clue how it was to happen, Faith stepped away and headed back up the stairs into the lobby.

Buffy finally came back up though a few hours later and then looked at Faith,

obviously still upset about everything. "What are you still doing here?"

Sprawled out across the couch, almost asleep, Faith glanced up as Buffy came in. She sat up and yawned before responding. "Thought you might wanna' do the honors of escorting me down there. I don't have the money for a cab."

Buffy rolled her eyes, not exactly finding Faith humour funny. "Fine...let's go," she commanded.

Standing from the couch and forcing down on final yawn, Faith followed Buffy out of the hotel in silence. It'd be nice to get back to her more or less 'home'. Wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either.

"Don't try to run," Buffy warned, "I'll only catch you..." She kept looking over at Faith expecting her to well...run.

"Don' worry, B. I'm just achin' to get back home." She murmured, grinning slightly towards the slayer. "Even if I did run, I know you'll catch me."

Buffy scowled. What the fuck? "Faith...what are you doing?" she asked finally, stopping where she was walking to stare at the rogue.

"What?" She asked, a bit incredulously. "I ain't doin' nothin'." She defended, holdin' her hands up by her head.

"I know, which means you're up to something," Buffy said crossing her arms over her chest, "You're not saying stupid smartass things, not tryin' to hurt me, you're just...kinda like a dog..."

Glaring at the last comment, Faith put her hands back in her pockets, shrugging. "Yeah, well, since I started that whole redemption trip, things've...I dunno', changed or somethin'. What's wrong with that?"

"I don't buy it, that's what's wrong," Buffy said, "C'mon Faith I know you. Selfish Faith actually cares...bull. "

"Oh, don' worry, B. It's not that I care at all. I'm just workin' towards this redeemed and forgiven thing and it applies toward everything, I guess. Even you." She started walking again, moving past Buffy and continuing down the street.

Buffy rolled her eyes and followed, though the annoyed feeling didn't last long before it was replaced by slight fear as five vampires soon circled them.

Faith stopped as the vampires appeared. She backed up a few paces until she was standing beside Buffy again. She held out her hand for a stake.

Buffy looked at Faith and shook her head before getting out her own stake and going to work on the vampires. She figured Faith could handle herself just fine.

Glaring silently, Faith moved away and towards the vampires to start the fight. She lunged on one and sent him at nearby wall.

Buffy grinned at Faith, loving that she would have to pay in some way. Prison wasn't enough anyhow. Her gloating was short lived however when she misstepped a move and was met with vamp teeth to her throat.

Faith paused her own fight briefly to glance over at Buffy. Seeing the vampire draining her fellow slayer, Faith quickly aborted her partner and made a grab for Buffy's attacker.

Buffy soon tasted the coppery blood from the vampire's hand to her mouth. She gagged and fell forward just as the vampire was dusted by Faith. It was then that she promptly passed out.

Quickly terminating the two remaining, Faith hurried to Buffy's side in an attempt to save her. She picked up her hand and felt for a pulse. The pulse was fading, fading, until gone as Buffy grew steadily colder and stiller.

"Shit." She muttered, panicking briefly before finally giving up on the body. Buffy was dead. Buffy Summers, the original slayer, was dead. She couldn't go back to jail now; the council would get rid of her quicker than you could say "Boo, Council.

A bit numbly, she picked up the body and slowly brought it back to the hotel.  
Buffy lay there in Faith's arms being dead n' all.

Faith hadn't been sure what to do, but she let Wesley and Cordelia handle everything. Since she couldn't return to prison, she hung around the hotel for another few days, figuring out what she was going to do.

It was late a night when the bulk of the Hyperion was out looking for the needed requirements that Buffy clawed her way out of the hole she buried in. She grinned all onto herself when she casually walked into the doors and saw Faith was the only one present.

Glancing behind her as the doors quietly opened, Faith nearly jumped out of her skin. She quickly stood and turned to face Buffy. "B, what the f-.. What're you-...? How'd you..."

She paused her babble and blinked, making sure she wasn't hallucinating.  
"Wow, you are stupid," Buffy mused before vamping out fully, "Like the new look?"

Absently running her hand past her back pocket, Faith realised she had lost her stake.

She glanced up at the newly sired Buffy again, wondering if she could take her. She'd be like super slayer-vampire thing. "Let's get this over with, B."

Buffy chucked, "Get this over with? Oh Faith when will you ever learn. You should no most of all that you don't kill an enemy if you want information...you torture them."

"What kinda' information you think I got? 'Case you forgot, B. I been in jail the past few years. I don't have nothin'." She took a few steps forward, readying herself for a fight.

"Oh you know...little things," Buffy said slowly as she picked up a glass off the counter and inspected it before putting it back down. All her actions, slow, calculated, though she never kept Faith out of her periphrial vision.

"Like telling me about Angel's soul..."

"Hell if I know anything about that. You should be like... the keepsaker of that kinda' classified. He's got a soul, sometimes it goes away. 'Bout all I know." She explained, watching the vampire with a steel eye.

She absently glanced towards the basement where Angelus still was.  
Buffy smiled, though it was cold and emotionless. "I suppose your right...only I was never told. Funny, Angel was my lover, my friend...my soul mate even...and I was never told."

She walked up to Faith, slowly, until she was only a few inches away. "Why do you think that is Faith?" Faith hesitated before answering, putting her hands by her side and watching Buffy for a long moment before responding. "'Cause.. Nobody wanted to break little Buffy's heart?"

Buffy let the smallest flinch of surprise cross her features, the one human reaction she bored. It lasted only an instant and she was back to that cold uncaring stare.

"I don't have a heart anymore," she chuckled, "Not one that's beating anyway...think it matters?"

"Not anymore. Guess' it doesn't matter if you don't have one." Faith took a step back, as if dismissing their conversation.

"So, what? Are we gonna' fight or.. What's gonna' happen?" Buffy remained silent, matching any step Faith made backward with a forward one of her own, never letting the rogue out of her sight.

She cocked her head to the side and let her fingers trail into Faith's dark tresses. "You're really pretty Faith. Wonder why I never said that before," she said quietly.

"Here we are with the heart thing again." She muttered, shrugging off Buffy's touch. "Hey, man I may be a slayer, that doesn't mean I gotta' be bonkin' the undead too."

Buffy let her hand flatter down to her side before she raised it back up again waggling her finger back and forth in front of the other slayer's face.

"Don't be mean Faith...and besides..." She leaned over and licked the edge of Faith's collarbone, just where the fabric of her shirt met the skin. "I know you want it..."

"Get offa' me!" She pushed her away, taking her own pace back as well. "You're not her anyway." She murmured, turning away from the vampire. It was getting hard to just look at her.

Buffy let out a loud girlish giggle as she stumbled back and watched Faith with newfound interest. "I'm not her anyway?" she mocked, "I see..." she began circling the dark slayer, watching her intently, "And if I was, human happy Buffy...what then?"

"Then nothin'. I'd go back to jail, an' never have to see her again." She hadn't meant it like Buffy had taken it. Trying to recover, she let her eyes follow Buffy silently in the circle she made.

Buffy stopped when Faith looked at her. "You're a liar," she spat, "I've seen the way you've liked at me when I was alive...you wanted me. wanted to become me. All goes hand in hand, doesn't it?"

Glaring, she quickly sent a punch at Buffy's face. "Shut up." She muttered. It didn't feel as bad hitting the vampire than the real Buffy.

Buffy began laughing as soon as the punch connected, falling back some and wiping away the blood that trickled from her nose. "Is that what you want Faith? Think that will help you get that oh so wonderful redemption you've been crazy?" she snorted at the thought and shook her head, "It doesn't matter...none of it does..."

"Maybe not anymore." She murmured, glaring. "Now that you're on the vamp side. I was doin' it for you. You knew that." She held her fist in her hands, ready to strike again  
"Is this the part where you're going to give me the whole I'm evil now so I have to die?" she asked simply walking over to the rogue once more.

"I've heard before...used it countless times. You're not going to kill me Faith...you're going to help me..."

"Like hell I will. I'd barely help you even if you were alive." She hissed, eyes searching quickly around for any form of weapon.

"That's so true," Buffy pouted. She wrinkled up her nose in mock thought and then she looked back over, eyes roaming up and down Faith's body openly.

"I promise I'll make it worth your while," she said in a deceivingly sweet voice.  
Faith raised her arm and struck her again.

"Not in a fuckin' million years, B." Without the vampire's game features, the body was deceiving her: Buffy chuckled softly as she picked herself off the floor once knocked onto it by Faith.

She readjusted her jaw and looked up, still wearing a bemused expression. "Well, if you don't want to help me, your not going to kill me, and you don't want to fuck me," she smiled widely, "Then what do you want?"

"Outta' here." She proposed, pushing past Buffy again and heading towards the door. If she was lucky, Buffy wouldn't follow, wouldn't need to go find her.

"See you around Faithy," Buffy called to her retreating back. She knew the rogue wouldn't kill her, couldn't. She grinned widely and then began making her way downstairs, bent upon getting to Angelus.

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	3. Chapter 3

**A.N - **Okay it's Sanityfair again, with a new chapter from me. XD

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Faith was hesitant to return to the hotel the next day. She didn't particularly want to meet with Buffy and her new face, but she had to make sure Angelus was still there. They'd all be in some deep shit if Angelus was gone. She went as stealthy as possible, entering the hotel and hesitantly heading towards the basement. She took her time walking down the dark shadowed area and when she rest her brown eyes on the cell she gave a sharp intake of breath. Angelus was gone. As was Buffy. There was nothing left inside the basement but an empty cell and a small note which read 'Faithy, see you soon, love B' And A'.

Cursing loudly to herself, Faith hurried back upstairs and towards the front doors again. She absently checked her pockets for the few lone stakes she had. Check. She wouldn't kill them. Angelus at least. But then again killing Buffy seemed out of the question as well. After an hour or so had passed, Faith's senses of the newly sired finally picked up. She followed it briefly until coming to the abandoned factory. The setting was fitting, she decided. Without much ado, she took herself inside. Buffy was the first to notice the slayer's arrival. She grinned brightly and snuggled up to Angelus as they both walked out into the light to greet Faith.

Faith put on a smirk and chuckled slightly, shaking her head. "Shoulda' known you two'd be up an' about together. But I always figured Angelus was the independent one."

"Oh I am," Angelus said coyly as he steped right in front of Faith, letting his hold off of Buffy. "Course I don't mind...company...every once in a while."

Buffy pouted slightly and walks around behind Faith, wrapping her arms around the slayer's waist. "Are you trying to make me jealous?" she asked Angelus.

Faith wrenched herself out of Buffy's hold, glaring at the both of them and backing up so she wasn't closer to once or the other. "Yeah what was it you said he'd do to me, B? Work alongside, then go against when he got bored?"

"I know what your doing," Buffy said finding her way to Angelus's side once more. "You're trying to pit us against each other aren't you?"

"Pity it's not going to work," Angelus growled vamping out completely.

She shrugged slightly, "Got a few other ideas too." Faith didn't move as Angelus vamped, barely even flinched. She pulled out a stake, though held it limply at her side.

"Oh yeah?" Buffy asked, leaving her features to remain normal. She licked along the side of Angelus's face and then turned back towards Faith. "Something to do with that," she asked nodding her head towards the stake. "Cause...I'm pretty sure you lack what it takes. You always have...always will."

"Hey, I ain't the one off my guard long enough to go lettin' a bloodsucker at my throat." Faith replied calmly, still hesitant before entering battle stance.

Buffy glared slightly, "That was rude, Faith..No matter." She nodded back towards Angelus who merely waited at attention. "We have a proposition for you..."

Faith's glance ticked back and forth between Buffy and Angelus. She was quiet for a long moment before finally asking, "What?"

Buffy took it upon herself to step in front of Faith, finally vamping out as she now stared at her with dead yellow eyes. "Join us..?" she said simply.

"Hell no!" the dark slayer muttered between clenched teeth. She kept her hands at her side, knowing she needed to keep some sort of plan in mind before going wild with the violence.

"No...?" Buffy asked frowning some. She turned back towards Angelus who was grinning broadly, "Guess you were right..." before moving back towards Faith. She ran a hand down the slayer's arm before stopping at the hand over the slayer's stake. "He said you wouldn't want to, can you believe it? I thought I knew you better..."

Chocolate eyes followed the hand all the way down to the stake. Finally, unable to hold it in anymore, she threw a punch at the newly sired's f ace. "You don't know me."

Buffy, not expecting the punch, fell onto her back, laughing loudly as the blood trickled from her nose. Angelus not waiting a beat rushed up behind Faith and grabbed the slayer's arms, pinning them behind her. "Bad move," Buffy spat as she picked herself back up.

Growling at Angelus, Faith elbowed him the stomach, attempting to pull free again. "What're you thinkin', B? I've never sided with you, good OR evil!"

Angelus grunted and pulled away just as Buffy reached forward and grabbed the stake out of Faith's hands. Without waiting for anyone to even blink, the blonde jumped up, behind Faith, and staked Angelus, sending him into a pile of dust. Faith spun around, watching in confusion as Buffy staked her partner. She glared briefly, feeling only the slight disappointment that Angel existed no more. She'd deal with that sort of grief later. "Right, I see. One on One."

"Faith, wake the fuck up," Buffy said shaking her head, though her eyes told tales. Tales that Faith couldn't seem to read.. "This was never about you...I've been following his stupid orders since I was turned. I needed him out of the way, I got him out of the way. You..." she scoffed, "You're nothing to me. Not even a blip on my radar screen."

"Good to know." Faith muttered, searching once more for an extra stake somewhere. " But this is endin' now. No matter how big I am with you, or how small."

The vampire rolled her eyes at that. "Figured you'd say as much. Bet you're laughing at this, aren't you?" Buffy asked, returning to normal features once more. "You get to be the hero, you get to finally put me in my place..." She spread her arms out wide, in mock crucifixion pose. "Think you can take me? Couldn't then...let's see what fate says now..."

Taking the invitation, Faith, all too suddenly, rushed forward and used her momentum to knock the both of them down. She moved to straddle Buffy by the hips. Buffy soon found herself staring up at the vast factory ceiling and then she lowered her eyes towards Faith. "This is new..." the blonde muttered. Rising slightly, Faith reared back and punched the vampire in the face hard, repeating the motion a couple of times With each assault Buffy did nothing more then laugh and bleed, almost seeming like she liked the abuse. Another few long moments went by until the Rogue finally lowered her fists. Breathing heavily through the rage bubbling inside her, she slowly began to move away. They weren't getting anywhere with this.

Buffy let out a loud chortle as Faith pulled away, jumping up onto her feet and wiping her bloodied face with the back of her hand. "That all you got?" she sneered, licking her lips.

Faith stay silent, feeling each muscle tense and release, itching to fight more, but holding back. " This ends here."

"Oh my," Buffy said grinning. "Well what are you waiting for?" she taunted, "Save the world...slay me."

Faith hesitated, as if making up the decision on what should be done. She waited, waited, studying Buffy's pose carefully before suddenly lurching forward and thrusting the stake towards the vampire's chest. Almost expecting it, Buffy reacted almost instantly. She grunted and grabbed the stake in one solid quick motion before twisting it around, pointy end no longer facing herself.

Faith quickly dropped the weapon to the floor, moving into battle stance almost automatically. "What do you want, B? How's this new undead life gonna' suit you?"

"I don't want anything," Buffy shrugged, "Hapless victim now and then, that's all I want...as for my life." She smirked, pacing some. "Treating me just fine actually. Feel better, look better...

.it's great..."

"Feel better, maybe. Dunno' about the looking part." She muttered, glancing briefly around the building.

"Oh hardy har har," Buffy said rolling her eyes some. She pouted some and shrugged, "So the pale albino look is out. No big, I can handle." She went over towards the mirror, "Can't look that ba..." She then frowned at not seeing a reflection, "Oh right..."

"Guess there's alotta' downs in bein' a bloodthirsty monster." Faith suggested with a small shrug.

Buffy turned away from the mirror and then looked at Faith. Though the hard edge in her eyes and the visible fangs and bumpy ridges were gone. She looked almost sad. "Don't call me that," she said quietly.

"Why not? Isn't that y'know.. what you are? You take pride in being a soulless monster." She moved forward a few feet, getting closer and closer to Buffy as she moved. " Not so fun already?"

"I'm not a monster," the vampire growled, low and throaty. Her face softened again as she stared off into something unseen. "I'm not a monster...I'm soulless...I'm evil...b-but I'm not a monster.."

"What's the difference? Being evil and being a monster? Killers, soulless, vampire. All of 'em. All of you guys. No difference between you an' any other demon you'll find out there."

"Because its still inside of me!" Buffy shouted, face quivering and twitching as she squinted her eyes shut. She raked her hands through her hair a few times and then backed up into she fell into a lobby chair. "It's still in me..." she whispered. "The...what I was...what I was destined to be...it's...I can't get rid of it.."

"What? The slayer? You'll never get rid o' that, B. Neither will I. It's stuck. In here forever." She put a hand over her heart for a moment, still nearing the retreating vampire.

"It hurts," Buffy moaned cradling her head in her hands, "And I can't get rid of it!" She shouted suddenly. She huffed a few times, though didn't need the breaths and then she moaned again, shaking slightly.

Faith watched in silence, telling herself quietly that it wasn't Buffy. This was the vampire, and she didn't help vampires. She reached down to where she had dropped her stake and slowly, slowly picked it up

Soon the vampire broke into quiet little sobs, shoulders shaking with each one until finally she gained a little bit of composure and curled into a ball on the chair, bringing her knees up to her chest in a quasi fetal position. "I killed him..." she said softly, talking into her knees, "I...I...killed him..."


End file.
